Rail-joint.



N0..656,589. Patented Ag. 2|, |900.v

-D. STEPHENS.

BML-JOINT.

(Applieatin mea June?, 1900.;

(No Model.)

Nrrnn STATES PATENT CF1-ues.

DANIEL STEPHENS, OE POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHSTO RICHARD J. HOLAIIAN, EDWARD A. MOYER, AND CLINTON D. RISHEL, OF SAMEPLACE.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,589, dated August21, 1900.

Application filed June 2, 1900.4 Serial No. 18,877. (No model.) i

To @ZZ whom iv may concern/f portion extend down to the flanges of theBe it known that I, DANIEL STEPHENS, a rails and have flanges extendingout over said citizen of the United States, residing at Pottsrailflangesto A beyond the edge thereof. ville,in the county of Schuylkill andState of Notches n are formed in the edges of the 5 Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and flanges of part B to receive the spikes. 55

useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which The clamping-braces orsupporting-plates the following is a specification. Care formed toextend under the joint against My said invention consists in an improvedthe under side of the rail practically to the construction of joints forrailway-rails Wherccenter thereof and are formed with upwardlyxo by theuse of bolts, nuts, nut-locks, fishprojecting sides having grooves c,which are 6o plates, and numerous parts commonly emof a size adapted' toclosely embrace the railployed in connecting the ends of rails areobflanges and the flanges of the part B and viated and a joint providedwhich will be of clamp them together. Notches n are cut equal or greaterstrength and stiffness than through theV edges of said plates adapted toI5 the remainder of the track and also furnish register with the notchesn in the anges of 65 a continuous tread, in effect providing a con-..the part B, so that the spikes will engage bothtinuousrail,thusovercomingtheusual poundparts and hold them together.Said plates ing and jarring consequent upon the space C thus not onlyhold the tread portion B and between the ends of the rails allowed forexrails irmly clamped together, wli'ile allowing zo pansion in thecommon construction, all as the free longitudinal' movement of saidrails 7o will be hereinafter more fully described and due. tocontraction and expansion, b`ut add claimed. the additional support orbrace necessary to Referring to the accompanying drawings, make thejoint rigidand of the required which are made a part hereof, and onwhich strengthand stiffness.`

25 similar letters ofreference indicate similar By this arrangement andconstruction of 75 parts, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing partsthe use of all bolts, fishplates,&c. is ena rail-joint of my improvedconstruction; tirely obviated, and apractically-continuous Fig. 2, aperspective view of the several parts rail is provided in which allnecessary exseparated, and Fig. 3 a crosssection through pansion may beprovided for without break- 4 3o said parts. ing its continuity, and thestrain of such eX- 8o In said drawings the portions marked A reppansionand contraction on the Vbolts comresent the rails, B a connecting treadportion, monly used, with the consequent breaking and C sideclamping-supports; thereof and frequent injury to the track, re- Therails A are of the ordinary or any suitquiring constant Watching andrepair, is prac- 35 able construction. Forashortdistance back ticallyovercome. A joint is also provided 85 from each end the tread is cutaway, leaving while possessing all these advantages that the web dprojecting to the end. The cutV may readily be laken apart when itisdesired through the tread is preferably diagonal for to" remove a railor to repair the track, it bethe purpose to be presently described. ingonly necessary to Withdraw the spikes s,

4o The tread portion B is of a form similar to when the clamping-bars Cmay be removed 9o the rail and has a longitudinal groove in its and thepart B lifted olf, when the ends of under side adapted to fit upon theends a of the rails are entirely disconnected and free. the web of therails. It is of the size re- It will also be noticed that the severalparts quired for strength and to bring itstop level composing this jointare interchangeable.

45 with the top of the rails. Itsrends are also The tread portion B orthe clamping-plates 95 cut diagonally to correspond with the cuts can bereversed and are adapted for use on through the tread of the rails. Acontinuany joint and on either side, thus adding ous tread is thusafforded, notwithstanding to the convenience and practicability of thethe spaces allowed for expansion, as will be device.

5o readily understood. The sides of the tread Having thus fullydescribed my said invenroo tion, what I claim as neW, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A rail-joint embodying the tread portion B adapted to embrace theends of the Webs of the rails, and the side clamps C adapted to embracethe edges and clamp together the flanges of both rails and the part? B,and. ispikes as the securing devices, substantially as set forth. y

2. The combination of the rails having the tread cut away at the ends,the portion B formed with a groove to fit over the ends of the web ofsaid rails and with a top of a form to supply the cut-out portion of thetread and having flanges extending out over the railanges to theiredges, and the sid-e clamps embracing the edges of said rail andtreadportion flanges, and spikes for securing them together,substantially as set forth.

3. In arail-joint, the combination, of the rails with the ends ofthetread cut away, the portion B formed to fit onto the projecting Webs andsupply the cut-away portion of the tread, and having lianges extendingout over the rail-flanges, the side clamping-plates engaging with andclamping together both of said flanges to bind them together andextending under the rail, notches being formed in the edges of saidseveral lparts which register, and spikes engaging with said notches insaid parts, and the ties, all substantially as setiforth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Washington,District of Columbia, this 1st day of June, A. D. 1900;

DANIEL STEPHENS. [ne]

